Railway stop-signal



R. NIKIRK AND G. E. CATHCART.

RAILWAY STOP S IGNAL. APPLICATIONHFILED MAY 21, 1919- amwntoz Patented Dec. 30,1919.

ITED STATES PATENT nron.

RAY NIKIRK, 0F WORTH COUNTY, AND GLENN E. CATHCART, OF MANLY, IOWA.

, RAILWAY STOP-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Application filed May 21, 1919. Serial N0. 298,768.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, RAY NIKIRK and GLENN E. GATI-IGART, citizens of the United States, residing in the county of WVorth, and at Manly, respectively,

certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Stop-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway signals and has for its object the provision of a signal device in the nature of a sign which is adapted to be engaged upon a rail at any desired point, as for instance at some distance to the rear of a train which is standing still, the construction of the device being such that when engaged upon a rail its weight will hold the rail engaging portion in clamping relation to the rail so that accidental displacement of the device will be prevented.

An important object is the provision of a signal of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, which may be quickly and easily applied to or disengaged from a rail, which will be efiicient and durable in use, and a general improve- 7 ment in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device applied to a rail, the rail being in section, and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a standard which is formed preferably of bar iron and which carries at its upper end a preferably metallic plate 11 bearing any desired legend such as Stop, as shown on the drawing. This plate 11 may be secured to the standard 10 in any desired manner, as by means of suitable rivets. At its lower portion, the standard 10 has formed thereon a laterally deflected portion 12 which terminates in a downwardly extending portion 13 which is parallel with the major portion 10 and which has its end curved, as shown, to provide a jaw let.

Pivotally mounted on the lower end of the portion 13, as shown at 16, is a member in the county of lVorth and State of Iowa, have invented 17 which has it major portion extending below the portion 12 of the standard 10 and which has the extremity of its major portion provided or formed with a right angularly extending handle 18. The other end of this member 17 is formed to provide a jaw 19 adapted to extend over the ball of a rail A and adapted for cooperation with the jaw 14. A coil spring 20 is connected with the portion 12 and with the adjacent end of the member the jaws together.

In the use of the device it will be seen that in order to engage it upon a rail it.is merely necessary that the operator grasp the handle 18 and push downwardly thereon against the resistance of the spring 20 to move the jaw 19 outwardly away from the jaw 14, whereupon the device may be easily placed over the ball of the rail. ator then releases the handle 18, whereupon the spring 20 will pull the jaw members together into engagement with the rail, after which the weight of the standard 10 and 17 for normally holding the plate 11 will aid in holding the jaws in firmly clamping relation upon the rail so as to prevent any accidental displacement of the device.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawing it will be apparent that we have thus provided an extremely simple device which may be quickly and easily engaged upon or detached from a rail, and which is so constructed that its weight will insure its being held firmly upon the rail, the device of course bearing any desired warning legend.

We claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a standard, a legend bearing plate on the upper end of the standard, a jaw formed on the lower end of the standard, a member extending transversely of and pivoted near the lower end of said standard, a jaw formed on one end of said member and cooperating with said first named jaw for clamping engagement upon a rail, a handle formed on the other end of said member, and a spring urging said jaws together.

2. A devlce of the character described.

The oper jaw, a transverse member pivoted upon the and a spring connected with said member lower portion of the standard and having and the laterally extending intermediate one end curved at one edge to provide a portion of said standard. 10 jaw cooperating With said first named jaw In testimony whereof We hereto afliX our 5 for engagement upon the ball of a rail, a signatures.

handle formed on the other end of and ex- RAY N IKIRK. tending at right angles from said inemloer GLENN E. CATHCAR'I. 

